[Of key importance to Provenance but also touches on all aspects of Orchid research].
Process to go from mission notification to an actual plan involves asking 7 questions answered in sequence. Timing for this process is between several weeks and a few hours: planning time should take less than 1/3rd of the total time they have. This ratio governs the level of detail of the planning and, ultimately, level of detail of the orders (An “order” is a plan and all information required to execute the plan. However, there is some *flexibility* as to how the plan is executed). Of key importance to Orchid, especially provenance, is the fact that evidence for each answer is recorded for auditing purposes.
The CO initially issues a “notice to act” (i.e. to start preparation to move). The “CO’s intention” always gets passed along with orders to allow autonomy – if reality deviates from the plan, then Bronze can change the plan to solve it. This may require revising some of the answers to preceding questions in 5 minutes or, at least, very quickly.
Question 1) What is the situation? [Situation Awareness] Risk management where key locations, threats and opportunities are plotted on a map. The green hatching identifies opportunities: flat areas where vehicles can move and aircraft can land; red areas identify threats which are essentially no go areas (or areas to be avoided) in the terrain. Black mark roads and blue rivers. Question marks can be added to the map when information is uncertain (for example, doubtful existence of a road marked on the map due to age of map/local knowledge). The overlay is an abstract representation of the terrain and, crucially, all movements can be planned using the overlay alone. [Further details are available to Orchidians in an audio recording by Tristan W. to follow. Also, photos of Angel Thunder overlays to follow].
ORCHID Opportunity: Automating this process would be advantageous. TW gave the example of *predicting* flood areas and marking these on the overlay.
ORCHID Opportunity: Crowdsourcing local knowledge etc to identify threats and opportunities (During Angel Thunder RG solicited useful info from Ranch owner).
Question 2) What action has been requested? Analyse request and identify key requirements (i.e. stand-off as opposed to evacuate). Question 3) What effects required? Specified and implied tasks e.g. find casualties and enable evacuation. Generate intentions and then verify with requestor. Question 4) Where can the effects be best achieved? Decision support overlay – plot key locations on map acetate. Question 5) What response required? e.g. build a bridge. Allocate assets to regions on the ground (via a Decision Support Matrix). This spawns a warning order which initiates preparation by the operatives (e.g. pathfinders) Question 6) What coordination is required? Creates synchronisation matrix of deconflicted assets against time. Question 7) What control measures are required? Routes etc.
Once complete each “answer” spawns outputs (slide to follow) that lead to full orders, which may in turn spawns a full subsequence of seven questions.
RG have not yet engaged the Seven Questions though this process is a variation on a similar process used by the US military. However, the Seven questions feeds really well into RG’s already existing ISO compliance auditing database (i.e. PAWPERSO).
(P)rotection (A)dministration (W)ater and Rations (P)ersonal Equipment and Clothing (R)adios, Phones, Tracking, etc (S)pecialist equipment and resources (O)rders and briefings
PAWPERSO ensures that the correct things are done and the documents are available to be checked. PAWPERSO exists, in part, for ensuring that RG conforms to ISO specifications (have passed audits).
“Orders and briefings” come first, the other parts are to ensure that the requirements from briefings and orders are documented and done. Documents are stored in Sharepoint and progress through PAWPERSO is tracked in Salesforce. Salesforce shows decisions that are made, as well as changes to documentation and reasoning. Seems a reasonable location for provenance.
RG Operations Planning Process
Created on
7 May 2014, 15:15, by
Steve Reece